


Comfort

by Apricots_from_Nara



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Mental Exhaustion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-28 04:51:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13264074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apricots_from_Nara/pseuds/Apricots_from_Nara
Summary: Shepard wanted nothing more then to enjoy what she felt was her last shore leave. But her clone tossed a wrench into that plan. Now Shepard is upset and needs her boyfriend to put it all into perspective.





	Comfort

“Well that was an adventure and a half wasn’t it?” Garrus asked, following Shepard into her apartment, “A clone... Sounds like something from a bad movie.”

Shepard tossed off her armor, ignoring Garrus.

Garrus paused awkwardly, not used to her not responding to his wit. “She was right to try and get rid of me. I would of been able to tell it wasn’t you. The burning hatred in her eyes would of tipped me off.”

Shepard just kept stripping, slamming her hands on the controls to black out the windows before she got out of her under suit.

“You were pretty aggressive in the archives, what with that mounting their heads talk.” He chuckled, “But you didn’t. You even tried to save her.”

“I should of just shot her.”

Garrus’ mandibles flared. That was... not like his girl.

“Shepard-”

“Stop it Garrus... I’m... I’m tired.” Shepard sat on the couch, just in her sports bra and brief panties, holding her face in her hands.

Ah, she didn’t need jokes, she needed support. Garrus quickly went into boyfreind mode, sitting on the couch with her. “Hey, I’m here. Whats wrong?”

Shepard inhaled sharply, face still hidden and Garrus quickly realized it was more then tired. 

He scooted closer, hand on her back.

Shepard looked up at him and as he feared, she was crying.

This was unexplored territory.

“I just wanted us.... To have shore leave.” Shepard snarled out. Angry crying. Even more unexplored. He had only seen humans to that in movies. Never in person.

“We still have time.” he reached up and wiped at one of her cheeks, “We can have a party. Call everyone up. Get the whole gang together.”

“Garrus...”

“And there is always next time.”

“There is no next time!” Shepard said exasperated, holding out her hands, “This was it. The last shore leave. The last time we were all together.”

“Hey, hey. Shepard we will -”

“Be realistic Garrus, what are the chances of us all coming out of this? We already lost four of us.” Shepard shoved her hand into his face, holding up four fingers, “Four people i cared about are dead. And there are... Millions more like that. Or even worse.”

She lowered her hand, wiping her eyes. “Every day that goes by, I feel it in my gut that I’m not going to make it. And this was going to be my last shore leave with who I have left...”

She tilted her head to the side, face angered as she lifted her foot and kicked her helmet off the table. “And then they had to ruin it.”

Garrus grabbed her food in his hand, tutting her. “I thought it was fun. Our faces were in the news. Commander Shepard taking a Turian to the charity, arm in arm. Now everyone knows you’re mine.”

He gave her foot a bit of a rub and Shepard fell back into the cushions, the tears still coming, to the point her red hair was sticking to her cheeks.

“I’m so tired Garrus. I want to sleep. Just sleep forever.”

“Shepard - “

She held her head, sobbing. “But I can’t. Every night I hear them. Ashley, Thane, Legion, Mordin... They all whisper my name and their regrets as I run for a boy I couldn’t save. Every night. I failed them all. I could of saved them. If I had run faster, worked harder...”

“Shepard-”

“If I had not died... if I had not died! I could of gotten the council to listen early, we could of prepared better. We would have Thessia still. We-”

“Would of lost millions of colonists to the collectors. Kaiden could of died. We never would of met Legion, or cured the genophage.” Garrus wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against his armor.

“Thane would of died alone, his son not even knowing he was sick. Samara’s daughter would of killed dozens of more people. Miranda would not have her sister. Joker would not have EDI. Jacob and Brynn wold not having a baby.” He rested his chin on the top of her head, mandibles catching in her hair, “Its only a few people, but you helped them all. You made a difference.”

Shepard nuzzled his chassis, still crying. “God do you ever take this armor off?”

“Shush I’m praising you right now.” he tucked her hair behind her ears, pressing his mouth to her forehead. He could not kiss it like a human could, but he could try, “What happened happened, and its happening for the best. Spirits, thanks to you we have Rachni again, and they are not trying to kill us.”

He pulled away, holding her face in his hands. “You can’t save everyone. Not even your self apparently.”

Shepard made a noise like the combination of a sob and a snort, a watery smile on her face. “She was so alone that she...”

“And you’re not alone.” He pressed his mouth to each of her eyes, sighing as her hands rubbed his crest and then grasped the back of his neck, “You are not alone because unlike her, you're compassionate, almost to a fault. Even when someone has tried to kill you, you try to help them. You are crazy.”

“And so are you, sticking by me through all this.” She hiccuped, pulling away, “I love you.”

“I know.” Garrus nuzzled her. She was still crying and would be for a while yet. She had a lot built up inside her, and she had to get it all out, “Go up to bed. I’ll take this armor off and you can be big spoon.”

Another sob/snort and she pulled away. “Actually, I want to be little spoon.”

“Gotcha.” Garrus watched as she got up, heading over too the stairs. About half way up he spoke again.

He rarely said it, more keen to show it. But right now she needed to hear it.“I love you too.”

She paused and looked over her shoulder, down at him, her mouth finally breaking into a big smile. Still crying yes, but now she was actually happy.

“I know.”


End file.
